Press trip with ALSA autobuses

Travelling on a night bus between Benidorm and Granada with ALSA coaches and the #ALSAPASS

I’m feeling very lucky that I’m able to make this post. It is still a “pinch me moment” that only a couple of weeks ago we had no idea that we’d be travelling to Seville and Granada, two places in southern Spain that we love. Even more so, the fact that we will be working alongside ALSA and Granada Tourism whilst we are there.

Day One began very, very early. So early, that it merged into the day before. Our coach departure was at 2:35a.m so that meant no time for sleeping in a bed. We headed straight for the number 3 bus at 12:10 which takes you to the bus station.

The bus station in Benidorm is really easy to navigate around. Though, it is eerily quiet so late at night. You wander around in a lot of darkness and hear the echoes of voices in the far off distance and scurries from what I can only assume are nocturnal rodents. The plus side is that the gates are well marked so finding the coaches is easy.

The ALSA coaches are fully equipped. I spent a lot of the journey sleeping, knowing that later on that day we’d have a filled day of museums, parks, bars and exploration. The buses are dark overnight without any harsh lighting, so sleeping is made easier. Although we’d been to Granada before, it felt like we were going for the first time. Alex stayed awake. I’m not sure if you’ve ridden a night bus before but there’s always some people who you’re not sure you can trust with your bags sitting around. With people getting on and off all the time, it’s not like the security of a plane that you know your belongings will make it. It’s a scary thought when you think about it.

Last time we were in Granada, we spent a lot of time in bars and bookshops and just generally sulking that we didn’t have tickets to The Alhambra. This time would be different. I had done some googling and even though we didn’t have Alhambra tickets again, we did have tickets to some of the most interesting looking buildings and museums, that I could almost kick myself for not visiting before!

I drifted off to sleep with my pink pillow resting against Alex’s shoulders. I’m lucky to have somebody to lean on, metaphorically and literally. It makes travelling far more comfortable. I wake up at each hour. Every time the bus stops and the lights go on, my eyes give in resisting and struggle open.

The chairs are comfy, but only for a short distance. You know when you sit for so long your bum actually aches? Yes, that’s how my bum feels. I rearrange myself and sit on my knees for a while, but it’s not long before the pins and needles kick in and I have to readjust.

It’s the middle of summer so the sun starts to burn through the window at around 7:00am. It’s welcomed. The brightness. The light. The views. There’s something so comforting about waking up somewhere else and knowing that an adventure is going to unfold.

On board, there are individual televisions, all of which have a selection of movies, music and TV shows. Some are available in English. Entertainment, even though it is dated, on board makes a journey so much more enjoyable, especially for Alex who stayed awake.

The journey took six and a half hours. Departing Benidorm Bus Station and arriving at Granada Bus Station. There were quite a few stops for pick ups and drop offs and one or two comfort breaks. It’s nice to know the light does go on so that you’re aware when people are moving about and to not miss your own stop.

We learnt from the last time that you have a much more pleasant sleep if you set a quiet alarm for around the time you should be arriving. That way, if you are a deep sleeper, you know you’ll be woken up by the alarm so you can have an undisturbed sleep, without panicking that you’ll miss your stop.

My neck cushion from Dealz was an absolute lifesaver, only 1.50€ and it provided so much support. I’d never used one before so didn’t want to splash out for it to be a waste. Well, the Dealz one was good so I think an upgrade will be in order for the next trip!

I absolutely love that by travelling on the bus, you can see so many things that you wouldn’t usually see.

Arriving by bus is so much more convenient than other road or rail public transport methods. The bus station is located near to the centre of Granada, so it provides ease of access to the rest of the city. A taxi into the centre costs around €8, or you can take a 35 minute walk.

We arrived at 9:00, so we had a full day ready to explore. We were in Granada. Our first day was about to begin.

We used the ALSAPASS 7 day for 99€ which provides unlimited travel throughout Spain for 7 days. Terms and conditions do apply so make sure you read up on it first!

Hasta luego,

This post was made in collaboration with ALSA coaches. We had to pay for Alex’s tickets.